Only 13m Nigerians have access to electricity—TCN

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says only 13.12 million Nigerians out of its estimated 230 million population are registered to use electricity. Ali Bukar Ahmad, the TCN General Manager (Regulation and Compliance), disclosed this on Thursday at the National Institute of Physics webinar Series 2.0. He said that 44.23 % of the13 million customers had been provided with meters. Ahmed said this meant that only 2.52% of the entire Nigerian population estimate were metered. 

He said 60% of the metered customers were also bypassing the meter, which he said, had added to the country’s energy poverty issues. According to him, energy security means having a consistent and affordable supply of energy, while energy poverty refers to the absence of a sufficient, quality, and uninterrupted energy supply, along with its associated services and products.  “For a country to be truly independent politically and economically in the 21st century, is to have energy sovereignty and energy independence, and for the sovereignty and independence to be secured at all times and to be backed by the relevant geopolitics. 

“In Nigeria, we have four types of energy poverty; the unserved, the underserved, the poor quality of supply and the served. Energy security in turn is the bedrock for the sustainable development and the attainment of it should leave no one, no citizen behind,” the general manager sai